Hm ... ! The three I tested where razor shap full opened over the whole zoom range. I bought one and was faszinated about that lens. I sold it after 3 years, because I realized, I did not use it more often then 10 % after I bought a 24-105. I wich it back today.

galenapass wrote:
But with 4 stop IS should be OK. I have handheld mine at slower speeds with crisp results. The shot above looks front focused to me.

Lars Johnsson wrote:
But not when testing a new lens. And especially not with a subject that are alive and can move. ...Just because it's possible to shot handheld at 1/80 when using a 150mm lens, you don't do that when testing it for sharpness wide open

Just to be clear, I wasn't formally testing the lens. The zoo lies between the camera store and my house, so I stopped by for a few hours just for fun.

As I said, I'll be doing an actual test this weekend; SpyderCheckr, SpyderCube, SpyderLensCal, Manfrotto tripod, the works.

Jefferson wrote:
Your [sic] using spot metering @ f/4 which is ok if it is on the subject...maybe using the lower focal point?

I brought up the image in DPP to check what focal point was active, but they all show. Maybe there's a setting in DPP I didn't set right, or maybe I'm doing something wrong on the 7D; I'm almost as new to that camera as I am to the new lens.

However, none of the focus points is on the foreground, so it seems to me it should have not front focused.

I would go with center weighted averaging and select which focal point you want with that type of shot about 1/200th or so...don;t use a 7D but whaever the equvilant would be...Those are great lenses...if it doesn't do right, send it back to Canon or exchange for a new one which ever would apply...

My old photos(taken around 2005) shot with 10D and 70-200 f/4 (non-IS).
My 1Ds and 70-200 f2.8 had to stay home because I got tired to being the last guy to board the plane and losing the overhead storage.

Jefferson wrote:
I would go with center weighted averaging and select which focal point you want with that type of shot about 1/200th or so...

What difference does the exposure metering method make with regard to focus?

Also, you're not often going to get 1/200 out of an f/4 lens on a cloudy afternoon in the woods in Seattle in January unless you up the ISO quite a bit over ISO 200, and I didn't want to use high ISOs.

BrianO wrote:
What difference does the exposure metering method make with regard to focus?

Also, you're not often going to get 1/200 out of an f/4 lens on a cloudy afternoon in the woods in Seattle in January unless you up the ISO quite a bit over ISO 200, and I didn't want to use high ISOs.

I donít think the exposure method would make as much difference (in your shot) as where the focal point is.

You were using spot metering, and I thought you might have selected the lower focal point because of the part of the image that was in focus.

You are already shooting wide open, so going to maybe ISO 400 would get the shutter speed up some if you wanted. ISO 400 is not all that high (donít think you would see much noise if any with the 7D).

My dog on the back porch is at ISO 100, wide open, Av, lower focal point, spot metering and I got 1/50, but it was also shot at 12:30 PM, Sasha was late afternoon with some clouds, center weighted average, and ISO 400, both on an old 5D classic.
I try and use the lowest ISO I can get away with for the shot.

The dog on the porch is just laying there...Sasha was moving. Two different conditions.

All shots are hand held.

My main thought, was where the focal point was and that it was not on the subject. I have acccidently changed mine (I shoot spot metering for motorsports).

Last shot (not with the 70-200), low ISO...spot metering (center point)...1/60 (Tv)...I use spot in the motorsports shot because of the changing background...lets me take my metering and my focal point on the subject